


Meditation

by Missevilhat13



Category: Dovakhiin - Fandom, Dragonborn - Fandom, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Skyrim, paarthurnax - Fandom
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-13 21:13:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14756411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missevilhat13/pseuds/Missevilhat13
Summary: A One shot short about Paarthurnax and the Dragonborn. I kind of made this a self insert, so anytime you see "I" just think of your own character.Also I was lazy a bit, so I apologize about the lack of Dovah in Paarthurnax's dialogue.EDIT(04/05/19) edited to make it easier to read.





	Meditation

I breathed a sigh of relief as I reached the summit, glad that the wind that blew around the mountain was now a gentle breeze. I pulled off my helmet and watched my breath come out as a fog, while I rubbed my face to get some feeling back in my cheeks.

  
I turned my attention to the large grey dragon perched upon the cracked and ancient word wall and smiled, approaching him. I bobbed my head and set my pack down.  
“Hello Paarthurnax. Long time, no see.” I said, clearing away some snow for a place to sit.

 

“Indeed, Dovakhiin. What brings you here today?” He asked, shifting slightly on his perch. His deep, guttural voice reverberated through me, and I ran my fingers through my hair.

 

“I needed to get away. You are right, it is peaceful here. I can reach up and literally touch the sky. There is nobody here to ask me for help. I can briefly ignore the outside world and just…breath.” I replied. I looked at him then.

  
“I hope I am not intruding. I thought I would keep you company for a while, while you meditate, maybe join you, if you like.” I offered, and the great dragon almost seemed to smile. He slowly and carefully crawled down from his perch and lay next to me. I listened to his breathing, how it came out as a natural growl. I could see how his scales showed some semblance of color, faded with time along with his torn wings and broken horns and spikes. I could only imagine what he must have looked like in his prime. When he was first born. He was alive during the Morolethic era, right?

  
“That is very kind of you, Dovakhiin. It does get lonely up here. Tell me, how is your understanding of the Thu’um progressing?”

  
“…I sometimes forget how philosophical you are,” I sighed, a wan smile creeping across my face.

  
“I suppose I can say I understand some words the more I use them. The Greybeards don’t believe that the Thu’um should be used for combat…however, like you…and some other dragons I have met said, I take that word into myself. Whenever I slay a dragon and gain their understanding, mine increases too.” I responded and Paarthurnax nodded.  
“You understand enough to know you still have much to learn. Humility is an important thing to have. Dovah have a hard understanding of that trait.” He replied. He looked at me and thought for a moment.

  
“Tell me, how has your understanding of ‘Yol’ changed?” he asked. I paused before answering.

  
“I understand how powerful it is. Fire is energy…It can consume everything in it’s wake if left to its own devices. However, fire can be comforting too. Perhaps it is purely human, but fire offers warmth, food and a light in the dark. When controlled, that energy is life.” I responded. Paarthurnax adjusted himself.

  
“Interesting.” He said and watched me reach into my pack.

  
“For instance, I could eat this meat raw…” I said, procuring a piece of beef. I pulled out a cooked piece next.

  
“But if I cook it, I won’t get sick. I can sit around the fire where I cook and enjoy the warmth it provides. Alternatively, I can burn my foes until they too, cook.” I said, looking at the dragon. He carefully took the raw beef from my hand, and didn’t even chew, not that there was much to, compared to a dragon it was a tiny berry. His teeth had left a small gash in my palm, some blood bubbling to the surface. I grabbed some snow to clean the wound before wrapping it.

  
“Apologies, Dovakhiin.” He said, and I shook my head.

  
“Don’t worry. I’ve had worse. If I can survive Icicles to the gut and bandits nearly decapitating me, I think I can survive a tiny scrape on my palm.” I said and lay back onto the snow, feeling my body begin to melt it, some of the melt creeping into my armor and soaking my back.

  
Paarthurnax swished his tail across the snow and turned his attention to the sky, where the dancing lights had come to play, pinks and greens flowing like a river.

  
“I should probably go home. I haven’t been home for almost a week now.”

  
“Do your travels take you far?”

  
“Sometimes. Sometimes it’s purely wanderlust. I look for word walls and climb mountains…I find dragons, who are none too pleased to have their nest intruded on. When that happens…part of me wants to run, get away and leave it be. The other part wants to fight, accept that challenge. I can try to justify it…say I’m protecting the nearby town. In the end It’s that desire to win.”

  
“That is the Dov in you. Remember, we Dov are ambitious creatures. We naturally crave power, and respect it. I have said this before, it is hard for me to resist returning to my nature. However, sometimes, that temptation for power must be resisted. Alduin aided you in his own demise. His lust for power over came his own prophecy…” he said solemnly.

  
“In a way, you are still powerful.” I said. Paarthurnax raised a scaly eyebrow.

  
“Humans wouldn’t have been able to fight off Alduin without your help. You used your power to aide us. The Greybeards respect your power, and I imagine, your restraint. I respect you too. You didn’t have to help me bring down Alduin, but you did. I thank you for that.” I said, and the dragon looked at a loss for words.

  
“You humble me, Dovakhiin. I appreciate your praise.” He said, and I laughed, sitting up and wringing out my hair.

  
“My pleasure. Thankyou for letting me join you.” I said and bowed my head before picking up my pack and giving a final wave.

  
As I waded through the snow, attempting to find my path, my thoughts wandered to what Delphine and Esbern had said. I bit my lip and looked behind me at the summit.  
Paarthurnax did not hide his past from me, I knew what he was before betraying Alduin. The Blades acted as though I didn’t know that. They wanted me to slay him. To do justice for the ancients that had been under his rule. From what I could see, however, Paarthurnax had redeemed himself.

  
The Blades would have to find someone else to kill the old dragon.


End file.
